Chapter 4
I usually only went to the bathhouse once a week. Maybe twice if I was feeling particularly lonely—or horny. It was my version of a social life. Other men met up with their buddies to go to baseball games or play poker. The bathhouse was where I found relief.
But this weekend was different. One night wasn't enough. I'd spent my Friday with a star and I couldn't resist going back the next evening in hopes he'd return.
I knew it was a long shot as I sat there in the hot tub steaming my coconuts along with Howard and Vinnie. They must have sensed what I was up to because they stayed by my side most of the night. We talked, tried to make casual conversation, all without mentioning the big pink elephant in the room. They were trying to respect my privacy, though I could sense Howard was struggling to hold back all the questions that were bubbling over inside.
My thirtieth birthday was coming up later in the week. I was kind of in denial about it, but Howard, being the big mouth that he was, had to bring it up. I suppose that was my penance for him not bringing up my celebrity encounter. The man couldn't be expected to keep all my secrets to himself.
Getting older didn't really bother me. I just felt kind of stuck. I'd been working the same monotonous job as a banker since I was twenty-two. The hours were steady, the pay was good, but I didn't have much of a life outside of work. The bathhouse was the most exciting part of my week.
Howard and Vinnie began insisting on throwing a party to celebrate my big day, but I wasn't having it. We debated for a little bit, then they finally let it go.
Our eyes were always on the back door of the patio. Every time the door opened, my heart jumped into my throat. At around eleven-thirty, we finally decided to call it a night. Our skin was wrinkled like prunes after spending the whole evening alternating in and out of the water. We hadn't even paid attention to the tasty prospects parading around the swimming pool.
We were back again on Sunday night. Silly, I know, but I felt better being there hoping he'd return rather than staying home and wondering if I'd miss out.
Of course he didn't show.
Howard couldn't join us on Monday night. Mondays were when he volunteered at a nursing home playing piano for the residents. I admired him for that. Vinnie was nice enough to come and sit with me, although he did excuse himself for a little while to spend some time in a private room with a handsome young fella he'd been eye-fucking for an hour.
By Tuesday, I was feeling pretty ridiculous, so I phoned both Howard and Vinnie to tell them there was no need to make a special trip out just for me. I stayed by the pool until about ten that night, then finally gave up.
It was on Wednesday night when my persistence finally paid off. I decided to spend the evening resting in a lounge chair since my poor skin was dry and itchy from all the time I'd spent in the water the past few evenings.
I was lying there under the full moon and stars, listening to the breeze rustle the palm trees above me. Only a few other guys were outside in the pool. It was getting late on a weeknight, so most men didn't stick around past nine.
The door squeaked open. I hardly noticed it and my neck was sore from constantly craning over to see.
But there he was.
Same stupid wig, same stumpy bodyguard walking beside him. With his eyes covered in thick sunglasses, I couldn't tell where my heartthrob was looking, but I sensed his gaze brushing over me. Then he leaned in and whispered something to his bodyguard and turned to walk away.
My heart was pounding as I sat up anxiously in my chair, expecting the little round man to come over and tell me I'd been chosen...again. But instead he made his way to a young blond boy, probably just out of high school, who was busy tossing a colorful beach ball back and forth with his friends.
The dumb kid hadn't even noticed the star and his bodyguard sweep through the joint. I could tell he was confused when the bodyguard knelt down at the edge of the water to tell the young man to come with him.
At first, I could see the apprehension, but the bodyguard kept talking, and he must have said the right thing because the kid finally got out of the pool and dried off.
I wondered if he'd been offered money. Would the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood pay for sex? That didn't seem to add up, but maybe it was more about paying for discretion.
The young man walked away with the handler and I watched helplessly from the sidelines. An intense wave of heat began flowing through me. At first I thought it was just the air, then I realized it was coming from inside me.
I was jealous.
Why hadn't I been chosen? Was I not good enough? Not young enough?
I was in pretty good shape for someone who was about to turn thirty. Okay, so I wasn't quite as lean, toned, and perky as the blondie who'd just been summoned. But I offered experience, and most of all, I had gratitude. That dumb kid didn't even notice the legend when he walked through the door.
Before I even realized what I was doing, I'd already jumped up from my chair and found myself barreling down the interior hallway toward the private suites. Logic and caution were far out of reach. I was operating on red-hot passion. After wasting night after night waiting outside by the pool, I wasn't going to lose my shot to some kid.
The bodyguard's eyes bugged out when he saw me coming toward him in the hall.
"I'm going in," I said through gritted teeth.
The bodyguard's calm, professional demeanor changed to that of a high-voiced queen with her hair on fire. "Noooo, you can't go in there!" he squealed.
"Out of my way." I nudged him aside and turned the doorknob. Surprisingly, it hadn't been locked. I figured maybe it was left accessible in case the bodyguard, if you could call him that, needed immediate access to rescue the actor.
